Method of processing two lines in a single pass cooker

ABSTRACT

A method of accommodating two separate lines of containers for processing in a horizontal axis continuous rotary cooker of the type having an outer shell and an outer spiral, an inner shell and an inner spiral, and a rotatable reel between the spiral.

United States Patent Barney, Jr. et a1.

[451 July 8,1975

METHOD OF PROCESSING TWO LINES IN A SINGLE PASS COOKER Inventors: Harry E. Barney, Jr., Santa Clara;

Rodney A. Engdahl, Campbell, both of Calif.

Assignee: FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif.

Filed: Oct. 25, 1973 Appl. No.: 409,485

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 292,001, Sept. 25, 1972, Pat. No. 3,815,490.

US. Cl. 426/407; 426/521; 426/523 Int. Cl B65b 55/06 Field of Search 426/231, 232, 233, 520,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Baker 99/361 Johnson 99/363 Lloyd 62/63 Reimers 99/365 Engdahl 99/365 Primary Examiner-Samih N. Zaharna Assistant ExaminerErnest G. Therkorn Attorney, Agent, or Firm-C. E. Tripp ABSTRACT A method of accommodating two separate lines of containers for processing in a horizontal axis continuous rotary cooker of the type having an outer shell and an outer spiral, an inner shell and an inner spiral, and a rotatable reel between the spiral.

2 C1aims, l7 Drawing Figures TRANSFER OUT DISCHARGE iT N EflJul. 812?? Q iii-"894160 SHEET 1 DISCHARGE (OUTER) DISCHARGE (INNER) TRANSFER ou'r WW-Mm.

SHEET TRANSFER A T P- FMUL @1975 3,894,160

SHEET 8 METHOD OF PROCESSING TWO LINES IN A SINGLE PASS COOKER REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a division of application Ser. No. 292,001 filed Sept. 25, 1972 now US. Pat. No. 3,815,490 and assigned to the FMC Corporation and relates to a single line, double pass cooker that uses the interrupted reel principle for transferring one line of containers into and out of the inner shell spiral.

SUMMARY OF PRIOR ART 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to rotary cookers or sterilizers and more particularly to a method which can separately process two rows of containers.

2. Description of Prior Art The United States patent to Burpee, U.S. Pat. No. 1,154,611, Sept. 28, 1915, shows a single line, multipass rotary cooker of the spiral and reel type wherein the containers are introduced at one end of the outer shell spiral and traverse that shell to its other end. The cooker then passes the containers back and forth along an intermediate shell, and transfers them to an innermost shell which necessarily projects past the other shells, to accommodate discharge from the innermost shell after traversing that shell.

The United States patent to Novotny, US. .Pat. No. 2,782,708, Feb. 26, 1957, shows another single line, multi-pass rotary cooker of the type generally disclosed in the aforesaid Burpee patent and having an outer shell, two intermediate shells and an innermost shell. The single line of articles is discharged after traversing the innermost shell by passing them through the innermost shell and out through its interior.

The United States patent to Duncan, US. Pat. No. 1,085,852, Feb. 3, 1914, shows a vertical axis, single line, two pass cooker wherein the can bottoms rest on concentric helical ramps and are pushed by rotating fingers. The cans first pass along the full length of the outer ramp, are transferred to the upper end of the inner ramp, and are discharged at the lower end of the inner ramp past the lower end of the outer ramp. The chamber is not closed.

The United States patent to McIntosh, U.S. Pat. No.

-l,l5l,l l 1, Aug. 24, 1915 resembles Duncan, as does the United States patent to Baker, US. Pat. No. 772,078, Oct. 11, 1904.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principle feature of this invention resides in the fact that two rows, lines or lanes of containers (such as tin cans, jars or the like) can be separately but simultaneously processed in a rotary cooker of the type described, without interfering with the feed and discharge of containers into and out of the outer shell, and without increasing the overall dimensions of the cooker. This invention makes it possible to process separate lines or lanes of containers of different size in the same cooker or to process separate lanes of cookers which have products that require different cooking or other treatment times in the same cooker. Accordingly the utilization factor of many of the elements of the cooker is doubled, space requirements are halved and economies of construction of operation are provided without sacrificing flexibility and efficiency of operation of the cooker.

As previously mentioned, one of the features of the present invention is that the relatively simple external feed and discharge arrangement of conventional spiral cookers of the type described is maintained in that although two separate lines of containers are processed, both lanes can 'be fed into and discharged from the outer shell of the cooker, thereby utilizing the same simple principles of feed and discharge now employed in single pass cookers.

In accordance with the present invention, the circumferential flanges of the reel which rotates between the inner and outer reel of the cooker are interrupted at both ends to accommodate the transfer in of containers at the feed valve to the inner spiral and the transfer out of containers'at the end of the inner pass, from the outer shell for discharge. On the other hand, the outer row containers are fed directly into the reel, traverse the outer shell and are discharged from the reel through the outer shell. Dual feed and discharge valves must be employed, but they are mounted on the outer shell as in prior cookers, except that in the latter, the valves accommodate only a single lane of containers.

In another embodiment of the invention, the containers destined to make the inner pass on the inner spiral are handled more gently by first feeding them directly to the outer spiral and by constructing the outer spiral so that it has a short transfer pass in a direction opposite to the main pass of that spiral. At the end of this transfer pass, the containers are then fed past the interrupted circumferential flanges of the reel to the inner spiral, whereupon they are handled as before. As in the other embodiment, the reel is also interrupted at the delivery end of the cooker so that containers on the inner spiral can be transferred to the outer spiral for discharge to the same dual valve that discharges containers making the outer pass, on the outer spiral.

In order to facilitate handling different size containers or containers having products requiring different processing times, it is further possible, under one embodiment of the present invention, to alter the processing time of the containers making the inner pass on the inner spiral relative to processing time imparted to the outer pass containers. This is accomplished by imparting an independent-or differential drive to the inner shell and spiral, so that it either turns somewhat faster than or somewhat slower than the reel. If the inner spiral is driven in the same direction as but slower than the reel, the processing time for the inner pass of containers will be extended relative to the time for the outer pass; if the inner spiral is driven in the direction opposite to that of reel rotation, then the processing time for the inner spiral containers will be shortened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective of a cooker embodying the invention showing the dual feed and discharge valves and various drives.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective diagram showing the paths taken by two rows or lanes of containers in the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the cooker with the inner shell shown in full.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of the feed end of the cooker.

FIG. 5 is a partial section taken on line 5 5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on line 6 6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a partial developed view, taken as indicated on line 7 7 of FIG. 5. I

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the discharge end of the cooker taken as indicated at the arrow 8 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a rear perspective of the discharge end of the cooker, corresponding to FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are sections taken as indicated on FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective diagram of a modified form of the cooker showing the paths taken by two lanes of containers.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of the cooker of FIG. 12 with portions being broken away.

FIG. 14 is a partial section taken on line 14 I4 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective of the feed end of the cooker of FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 is an end elevation of yet another embodiment of a cooker with portions broken away to show a reel that carries two different size cans.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary section of another embodiment of the cooker showing a differential drive.

MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THE COOKER Referring principally to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, and as previously mentioned, the cooker of the present invention is a continuous rotary cooker of the horizontal spiral and reel type.

The cooker is indicated generally at K, and includes an outer drum 10, a stationary inner shell 12, (FIGS. 3 and 5) and a reel R between the shells and which is rotated to propel containers along both shells. A dual section inlet or feed valve 14, (FIG. 1) is mounted on the drum 10, for receiving containers Cl destined for the outer pass from an infeed conveyor 15a, and containers C2 destined for the inner pass from an infeed conveyor 15b. A dual discharge valve 16 delivers processed outer pass containers Cl from the drum 10 to a discharge conveyor 17a and processed inner pass container C2 to a discharge conveyor 17b. Processing fluid such as steam is admitted to the drum 10 by a pipe 18 and discharged from the drum by a pipe 18a.

At this point it is to be understood that the manner in which steam and possibly water are introduced and the temperatures thereof maintained are not critical to the present invention, because this invention relates to the mechanical portions of the cooker and to the method of passing containers therethrough to obtain the advantages previouslymentioned. Thus, and in this regard,-reference is made to the United States patent to Wilbur, US. Pat. No. 2,536,l 15, Jan. 2, 1951, which discloses a fluid handling system suitable for use with the cooker of the present invention, and since the details of the processing fluid system are not critical to the present invention, they are not illustrated or described herein.

The cooker is supported by legs 19 illustrated diagramatically therein, the details of such mechanical design features not being important.

DRUM AND OUTER SHELL The drum 10 is constructed so that it forms a pressure chamber and encloses the inner shell 12. The drum 10 comprises an outer cylindrical shell 20 having an internal spiral or helical flight 21 seen in FIGS. 3, 4

and 5. In the arrangement illustrated herein, the spiral flight 21 on the outer shell 20 acts to advance containers to the right, as viewed in FIG. 5.

The outer shell 20 has a double width, dual lane feed aperture 22 (FIG. 3) which is at the receiving (left) end of the outer shell spiral 21, see also the diagram of FIG. 2. In order to gently pass the outer lane containers Cl into the reel R, a short ramp 22a (FIG. 4) is provided at the feed aperture 22. In order to gently ease inner pass containers C2 past the reel and into the inner spiral 21, a longer ramp 22b is provided. These ramps are separated by a partition 22c.

Under the present invention, the outer shell 20 also has a double width or dual lane discharge aperture 23 (FIGS. 2 and 9 11) which is below and to the right of the delivery end of the cooker. The feed aperture 22 and the discharge aperture 23 are respectively located at the dual feed valve 14 and the dual discharge valve 16, previously described in connection with FIG. 1.

As previously mentioned, the drum 10 of the present invention forms a self contained pressure chamber. Thus, as seen in FIG. 3, the cylindrical outer shell 20, bearing the spiral 21, is closed by an end plate 24 at the feed (left) end of the spiral and the end plate is apertured at 25 to receive shaft mechanism. At the right or delivery end of the cooker, the outer shell 20 is closed by an end plate 26 which is apertured at 27 for the same purpose. Since the end plate apertures are closed by shaft mechanism this construction renders the drum 10 a pressure chamber without requiring cooperation of the inner shell and hence in this respect the device resembles conventional cookers of the single pass type.

INNER SHELL In the embodiment being described, the inner shell 12 is fixed and its periphery is spaced by somewhat over two container diameters from the outer shell. The inner shell 12 includes a cylindrical shell 30 having end plates 32, 34 (FIG. 3) that are supported on a long shaft 36. This shaft (which does not rotate in this embodiment) is mounted in end posts 37, 38 that rest on the floor or project upwardly from the mounting framework of the apparatus, these details not being critical to the present invention.

The inner shell 30 has an external spiral 31 which is of the same hand as that of the internal spiral 21 of the outer shell 20. Thus in the embodiment being described, and as viewed in FIG. 3, the inner shell spiral 31 moves containers to the right in response to action of the reel R, and as mentioned, the outer shell spiral 21 also moves containers to the right. It will be noted that in accordance with the present invention, no discharge connections for processed containers are required at the inner shell.

REEL

Th'e reel R rotates between the inner and outer shell spirals and serves to propel cans along both spirals, and in the same directions. With the spiral constructions just described, the reel is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 5.

The reel R includes an angled end ring 40 (FIG. 3) at the feed end of the cooker which is mounted on a spider 41, keyed to a sleeve 42. This sleeve extends through the aperture 25 in the end plate 24 for the drum l0 and the sleeve 42 is freely rotatable on the shaft 36 that extends through the cooker. Keyed to the outer end of the sleeve 42 is a large gear 43 (see also FIG. 1), which drives the reel in a manner to be described presently.

The other end of the reel is of similar construction except that in the form shown, it is not driven. This end of the reel includes an end ring 44 (FIG. 3) mounted on a large spider 45 which is freely rotatably on the other end of the long shaft 36 that extends through the cooker. Actually, two stub shafts could replace the single long shaft 36, if desired.

In order to propel cans through the spirals of the outer and inner shells and to confine the containers to one spiral or the other, the reel has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially disposed pushing flanges 46 and each flange 46 has a circumferentially disposed confining flange 48. Containers C1 on the outside of the confining flanges 48, are under control of the outer shell spiral 21, as seen in the upper portion of FIG. 5, and containers C2 on the inside of the confining reel flanges 48 are controlled by the inner shell spiral 31. An important feature of the present invention is that the circumferential confining flanges 48 stop short of the radial flanges 46 (FIG. 5) by substantially the length of one container. In other words, a container can drop through the reel between the ends of the confining flanges 48 and either end ring 40 or 44. Another feature, best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, is that at the feed (left) end of the reel, the radial flanges 46 are relieved or notched to provide a narrow pusher flange portion 47 for moving containers along the inner spiral.

DRIVE MECHANISM The details of the drive mechanism are not critical to the present invention and the drive herein illustrated is basically like that of the aforesaid Wilbur US. Pat. No. 2,5361 16 except that in the present embodiment the reel R is only driven from one end instead of from both ends. This does not mean, however, that both ends of the reel could not be driven in accordance with the principles of the aforesaid Wilbur patent, this being a design detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reel R and the dual feed and discharge valves 14, 16 are driven from a motor 50 and a chain and sprocket assembly 51. This assembly drives a gear box 52 which in turn drives an output chain and -sprocket assembly 53. The assembly 53 drives a combined clutch-brake 54 that can be shifted as described in the aforesaid Wilbur patent, to couple the chain or sprocket drive 53 to a main shaft 55. The main shaft 55 is mounted on bearings supported by the drum l0 and has an outer small gear 56 meshed with a somewhat larger gear 57. The larger gear 57 is keyed to a countershaft 58 which has a smaller gear 59 and this gear meshes with the large gear 43, previously described, connected to the sleeve 42 and hence to the reel R, as shown in FIG. 5.

VALVES The feed valve 14 is basically of a known construction and is designed to continuously admit containers to the feed aperture 22 in the outer drum without losing pressure within the processing chamber. However, the valve 14 is of dual or tandem construction to handle two lines of containers.

The valve includes a housing 60 (FIGS. 1 and 6) having a feed aperture 61a for cooperation with the infeed conveyor a for the outer lane containers C1. The

feed valve rotor 62 is common to both valve sections and has container pockets 63a for the containers C1. The rotor 62 is mounted on a shaft 64 which, as seen in FIG. 1, is supported in a bearing 65 on the drum l0 and is driven by a gear 66 that is meshed with the larger gear 43 that drives the reel. In order to handle the inner containers C2, the housing 60 has a feed aperture 61b (FIGS. 1 and 5) and the rotor 62 has pockets 63b. A partition 67 separates the pockets 63a and 63b (FIG. 3).

The dual discharge valve 16 is of the same construction as the feed valve 14. The valve has a housing 70 with a discharge aperture 710 (FIGS. 1 and 10) that discharges the outer containers C1 to the discharge conveyor 17a previously described. The discharge valve has a dual rotor 72 (FIG. 10) with pockets 73a to receive the outer containers C1 from the discharge aperture 23 in the outer shell 20 and deliver them to the discharge aperture 71a in the valve housing. As seen in FIG. 11, inner pass containers C2 are discharged into rotor pockets 73b, out through a discharge port 71b in the valve housing 70 and down to the conveyor 17b. The dual rotor 72 is mounted on shaft 74 and as seen in FIG. 1, the shaft 74 is supported on a bearing 75 on the shell and is driven by a gear 76 that also meshes with the large reel gear 43. A rotor partition (not shown) separates the pockets 73a, 73b as in the feed valve 16. Single lane valves of this type are well known in the art and they include features for pressurizing and sealing that are not critical to the present invention and are hence not illustrated herein.

FLOW PATH OF CONTAINERS Before describing in detail how the various elements of the cooker just described provide the flow path of the embodiment of the invention under description, the schematic diagram of that path shown in FIG. 2 will be described. The reel R is omitted in these diagrams for clarity.

Outer pass containers C1 are admitted to the common feed aperture 22 in the outer shell 20 through the valve 14, in the manner described. As mentioned, the reel R which advances the containers along the inner and outer spirals has been omitted completely in FIG. 2, but it propels the containers in the direction of the small arrows. After the outer containers C1 are admitted at 22 to the outer shell 20, they roll down the ramp 22a (FIG. 4) and are picked up by the reel flanges 46, 48. The containers C1 now make an outer pass 80 (FIG. 2), along the outer spiral 21, until they reach the discharge port 23 in the shell 20, whereupon they roll by force of gravity into the discharge valve 16, as previously described in connection with FIG. 10.

The inner lane containers C2 enter the feed port 22 in the outer shell 20 and roll down the ramp 22b (FIG. 4) into the inner spiral 31. The inner extensions 47 of the reel flanges pick up these containers and move them along the inner spiral to make an inner pass 82 (FIG. 2). As the containers C2 are initially advanced to the right by the reel flange extensions 47 and the inner spiral 31, they slide under the circumferential reel flanges 48 and hence are soon confined to the inner spiral 31 by the reel R. After completing the inner pass 82, the containers C2 transfer out to the outer spiral 21 (FIG. 11), whereupon they are discharged through the outer port 23 into the discharge valve 16, as described.

pass 82, two separate lines of containers can be processed in a cooker which has overall dimensions that are no greater than those of the conventional single lane cooker.

DETAILS OF THE OPERATION As previously mentioned and as can be seen from FIG. 5, since the circumferential confining flanges 48 of the reel R stop short of the radial pusher flanges 46 and of the reel ends 40, 44, containers C2 can pass through the reel at both ends thereof. The extensions 47 of the radial reel flanges 46 pick up the containers C2 as they enter the inner spiral 31.

As previously mentioned, FIG. 4 shows a relatively long outer ramp 22b for directing containers fed from the inlet valve 14 and the feed aperture 22 over the tops of the reel extensions 47 for control by the inner spiral 31. The circumferential confining flanges 48 of the reel stop short of the end of the reel at this zone by about one container length. The containers C2 are thus picked up by the flange extensions 47 and advanced into the inner spiral 31 whereupon they immediately begin to advance to the right as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. This brings the inner containers C2 beneath the circumferential confining flanges 48 of the reel and hence prevents them from dropping back into the outer spiral long after the reel has made only a partial revolution.

FIG. 5 is another view showing the manner in which the inner containers C2 roll down the ramp 22b to be picked up by the extensions 47 of the radial reel flanges 46. This figure also shows containers Cl being controlled by the outer spiral 21 to make the outer pass 80 (FIG. 2).

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5 showing how containers C1 are fed by the dual feed valve 14 down the short ramp 22a to be picked up and confined by the circumferential reel flanges 48 and advanced by the radial reel flanges 46 along the outer pass 80 (FIG. 2).

FIG. 7 is a developed view showing how inner containers C2 roll down the longer ramp 22b to be picked up by the inner spiral 31 and how the outer containers C1 roll down the shorter ramp 22a and are controlled by the outer spiral 21.

FIG. 8, which is a view looking from the other side of the cooker as indicated on FIG. 1, shows how the inner containers C2 transfer out to the outer spiral 21 by rolling across the radial reel flanges 46 at a zone somewhat below the horizontal axis of the cooker. These containers then continue along the outer spiral 21 over the lower portion of the cooker until they are discharged to the discharge valve 16 as previously described. FIG. 8 also shows the outer containers C1 being controlled and advanced by the outer reel spiral 21.

The perspective of FIG. 9 is also taken looking from the rear of the cooker as shown in FIG. 1, and shows more clearly how the inner containers C2 transfer out to the outer spiral 21 by rolling across the radial reel flanges 46. It will be noted that the circumferential confining flanges 48 of the reel are also interrupted at this end of the cooker, to facilitate the action just described. FIG. 9 also shows how both rows of containers 8 C1 and C2 are discharged from the discharge port 23 in the outer shell 10.

FIG. 10 is a section taken along a slant plane as indicated in FIG. 8, and shows the outer row of containers Cl, controlled by the outer spiral 21, making the outer pass (FIG. 2). FIG. 10 also shows how the containers C1 are discharged from the double discharge port 23 in the outer shell 10 for entering one-half of the dual discharge valve 16.

FIG. 11, which is a staggered section taken as indicated in FIG. 8, shows how the inner containers C2 are discharged. The upper group of the inner containers C2 are under control of the inner reel spiral 31 until they are moved past the circumferential confining flanges 48 of the reel. The containers remain under control of the radial pusher flanges 46 of the reel. but when they pass below the axis of the cooker these containers C2 roll along the reel flanges 46 against the outer shell 20. The containers are now under control of the spiral 21 of the outer shell and are discharged through the double discharge port 23 into the associated section of the dual discharge valve 16 as previously described.

Thus, it can be seen, as described in detail above, the embodiment of the invention just described makes it possible to process, cook, sterilize, etc. two distinct lines, lanes or rows of containers in a single cooker of substantially the same size as a conventional single lane cooker.

MODIFIED FORM FIGS. 12 15 show a modified form of the invention wherein the impact of containers C2 entering the inner pass 82 is reduced, thereby precluding occasional denting or damage to the cans or containers.

The principle behind the modification of FIGS. 12 15 is that instead of introducing the inner line of containers C2 directly into the inner spiral 31 as shown in FIG. 4 of the previous embodiment, the inner line is introduced into a short spiral on the outer shell which in turn transfers them into the inner shell before they make the pass 82 along the inner shell. This construction breaks the distance over which containers must roll or drop radially to reach the inner shell into two separate transfer paths, thereby correspondingly reducing the impact forces which might damage the containers.

In describing the embodiment of FIGS. 12 15 elements of the cooker K1 which are essentially like those of the cooker K of the first embodiment have applied thereto the same reference characters and different reference characters are applied only to modified constructions that result in the mode of operation characteristic of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram corresponding to the diagram of FIG. 2 illustrating the first embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 12 the outer containers C1 are fed into the feed aperture 22 in the outer shell and pass directly into the main portion of the outer spiral, which moves the containers to the right as viewed in that figure along the outer pass 80. Containers C2, destined for the inner spiral, are first fed to a short spiral on the outer shell which moves them to the left as viewed in FIG. 12 instead of to the right. After somewhat less than one revolution, the inner containers C2 transfer in to the inner spiral and move to the right along the inner pass 82. The discharge for the containers C2 from the inner pass is as before, wherein the containers transfer out at the end of the inner pass to the outer spiral and are moved a short distance around the outer shell until they emerge from the discharge port 23. The outer pass containers C1 are also discharged as before.

As seen in FIG. 13, the dual inlet valve 14 in the modified form is spaced somewhat further from the end of the drum a than is the corresponding valve in the previous embodiment. This gives room for the short internal spiral 21a of the outer shell 10a which receives the line of containers C2 destined for the inner spiral. Also, the reel R1 of this embodiment is of slightly different construction at the inlet end of the reel in that the radial pusher flanges 46a of the reel R1 are not interrupted, as they were at 47 (FIG. 4) of the first embodiment of the invention.

Another modification is that the inlet ramp 22d (FIGS. 14 and 15) for the line of containers C2 is not as long as the corresponding ramp 22b of the previous embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 4. This shortening of the inlet ramp 22d for the container line C2 is necessary because both the outer line of containers C1 and the inner line of containers C2 are directed to the outside faces of the circumferential flanges 48 of the reel by the feed valve 14. It will be recalled that in the previous embodiment the line of containers C2 destined for the inner spiral pass directly through the reel R at the feed valve and hence enter the inner pass 82 (FIG. 2) directly, instead of indirectly as in this modified form of the invention.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show how the inner row of containers C2 transfer in from the short, reversed outer spiral section 21a of the outer shell a to the inner spiral 31, after having been given somewhat less than one revolution around the outer spiral section 21a by the reel R1. This transfer which is also illustrated diagramatically in FIG. 12, makes it possible to divide the total rolling distance from the feed valve 14 to the inner spiral into two short paths, thereby minimizing the impacts imparted to the inner line of containers as they pass into the cooker.

As mentioned, the discharge paths from both spirals is like that illustrated for the first embodiment.

MODIFIED REEL FIG. 16 shows a modified reel R2 in a cooker K2 representing another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the reel R2 is constructed so that the containers C2 may have a smaller diameter than the outer line of containers C1. This is accomplished by providing a pad 48a that is secured to each circumferential confining flange 48 of the reel R2. Of course the same effect can be accomplished by thickening the circumferential confining flange, or by narrowing the radial flanges 46 and offsetting the flanges 48. With this construction, smaller diameter containers C2 can be processed on the inner spiral without loss of control. Of course, it is clear that if desired, the pitch of the inner spiral 31 for the shell 12 could be reduced, thereby making it possible to handle the inner pass container C2 that have a shorter axial length than do the containers Cl for the outer pass.

MODIFIED DRIVE FIG. 17 shows a modified drive for a cooker K3 embodying the present invention. In this embodiment, the inner shell 12 and hence its spiral 31 are independently driven in order to vary the processing time for the inner line of containers C2, as compared to that for the outer line of containers C1. This is obtained by driving the shaft 360 that supports the inner shell 12 instead of employing a fixed shaft 36 as shown in connection with FIG. 3 of the first embodiment.

The shaft 36a is driven by reversible, variable speed motor having a pinion 82 meshed with a large gear 84 keyed to the shaft 360. Of course, the corresponding shaft (not shown) that supports the inner shell 12 is rotatably mounted in its support instead of being pinned therein in order to accommodate independent rotation of the inner shell. With this construction, the inner shell can be driven relative to the reel R, and the relative direction of the drive determines whether or not the processing time is relatively increased or decreased. For example, if the inner shell 12 is driven in the same direction as but slower than the reel R, the processing time for the inner line of cans C2 will be increased relative to the processing time that would result if the inner shell were stationary as in the first embodiment (FIG. 3). On the other hand, if the inner shell 12 is driven in a direction opposite to that of the reel R, then the inner line of cans will move through the inner pass faster than they would if the inner shell were stationary. Thus, by simply selecting the speed and direction of rotation of the motor 80 the processing time of one row of cans, the inner ones in this case, can be varied at will. This makes it possible to select different processing times for different products being handled by the cooker K3.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

We claim:

1. The method of processing two separate lines of containers in a multi-pass rotary cooker of the type having a horizontal axis outer shell with an internal spiral, an inner shell with an external spiral, and a rotating container advancing reel between the shells; comprising the steps of feeding a first line of containers through an end zone of the outer shell and into its spiral while radially confining the containers between circumferentially extending portions of the reel and the outer shell, simultaneously feeding a second line of containers through an adjacent end zone of the outer shell past the associated end of the reel and into the inner shell spiral while radially confining the containers between circumferentially extending portions of the reel and the inner shell, simultaneously advancing both lines of containers along their respective spirals by the reel, discharging the first line of containers through the outer shell at a zone that is a convolution away from the end of the outer spiral, transferring the second line of containers past the other end of the reel and into the outer spiral, and discharging the second line of containers through the outer shell from the end of the outer spiral.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of feeding the second line of containers to a short internal spiral section on the outer shell which section is formed for moving the second line of containers in a reverse direction from the motion of the first line of containers, and transferring the second line of containers from the short spiral section into the inner shell. 

1. THE METHOD OF PROCESSING TWO SEPARATE LINES OF CONTAINERS IN A MULTI-PASS ROTARY COOKER OF THE TYPE HAVING A HORIZONTAL AXIS OUTER SHELL WITH AN INTERNAL SPIRAL, AN INNER SHELL WITH AN EXTERNAL SPIRAL, AND A ROTATING CONTAINER ADVANCING REEL BETWEEN THE SHELLS, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF FEEDING A FIRST LINE OF CONTAINERS THROUGH AN END ZONE OF THE OUTER SHELL AND INTO ITS SPIRAL WHILE RADIALLY CONFINING THE CONTAINERS BETWEEN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING PORTIONS OF THE REEL AND THE OUTER SHELL, SIMULTANEOUSLY FEEDING A SECOND LINE OF CONTAINERS THROUGH AN ADJACENT END ZONE OF THE OUTER SHELL PAST THE ASSOCIATED END OF THE REEL AND INTO THE INNER SHELL SPIRAL WHILE RADIALLY CONFINING THE CONTAINERS BETWEEN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING PORTIONS OF THE RELL AND THE INNER SHELL, SIMULTANEOUSLY ADVANCING BOTH LINES OF CONTAINERS ALONG THEIR RESPECTIVE SPIRALS BY THE REEL, DICHARGING THE FIRST LINE OF CONTAINER THOUGH THE OUTER SHELL AT A ZONE THAT IS A CONVOLUTION AWAY FROM THE END OF THE OUTER SPIRAL, TRANSFERRING THE SECOND LINE OF CONTAINERS PAST THE OTHER END OF THE REEL AND INTO THE OUTER SPIRAL, AND DISCHARGING THE SECOND LINE OF CONTAINERS THROUGH THE OUTER SHELL FROM THE END OF THEE OUTER SPIRAL.
 2. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of feeding the second line of containers to a short internal spiral section on the outer shell which section is formed for moving the second line of containers in a reverse direction from the motion of the first line of containers, and transferring the second line of containers from the short spiral section into the inner shell. 